Day trips and sights

• Guide How to get to Bottle Beach (Haad Khuat) on Koh Phangan Bottle Beach (Haad Khuat, หาดขวด) is a cove on the north coast of Koh Phangan with no easy road in. The simplest way is a longtail boat from Chaloklum: about 30 minutes, with boats running roughly 8:00 to 17:00 and leaving once four or more passengers are aboard (Thai Holiday Guide, July 2026). There is no lifeguard on the beach (OpenStreetMap), no ATM, and boats and bungalows take cash only.
• Guide Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan: when it runs and how to get to Haad Rin The Full Moon Party is an all-night beach party on Haad Rin Nok in the south-east of Koh Phangan, held once a month on the night of the full moon. Under the organisers' calendar as of 28 September 2026 the next dates are 27 October (the 26 October full moon falls on the Buddhist holiday Ok Phansa), 24 November, 24 December and a New Year party on 31 December. Alcohol sales are banned on Buddhist holidays, so the party moves by a day, and you should confirm the date with the organisers before buying boat tickets or a room.
• Guide Where to go on a trip on Koh Phangan Koh Phangan has two headline trips: the full moon party at Haad Rin (27 October, 24 November and 24 December 2026 under the organisers' calendar) and Bottle Beach in the north, which is easiest to reach by longtail boat from Chaloklum in about 30 minutes. The Than Sadet-Ko Pha-ngan National Park with its waterfalls costs a foreigner 100 baht under the DNP table. February-April is the driest and October-December the wettest (TMD, Ko Samui station, as of October 2026).
• Guide Where to go on a day trip in Krabi: islands, Railay, Tiger Cave Temple, Emerald Pool Krabi excursions fall into three groups: by boat from Ao Nang (Railay and Phra Nang, the Hong islands, Koh Rok), across the mainland (Tiger Cave Temple, the Emerald Pool) and to Koh Lanta. Park fees for a foreign adult per the DNP table (edition of 02.06.2023): Hat Noppharat Thara 200 baht, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le 400, the Hong islands 300, Koh Rok 400. The Emerald Pool is outside that table and charges 400 baht separately (Matichon, 14.11.2025). The sea is best from December to April; in the wet season choose the mainland (as of October 2026).
• Guide How to visit the Hong Islands from Ao Nang, and how it differs from Hong from Phuket The Hong Islands (Mu Ko Hong) in Krabi lie in Than Bok Khorani National Park, 13.6 km in a straight line from Nopparat Thara pier near Ao Nang. A tour from Ao Nang takes 6-9 hours in the Tisland, Krabi Tours and Krabitrek programmes: a longtail needs 20 to 50 minutes, a speedboat 25-30 minutes, while the same archipelago from Phuket takes 9-11 hours. The park fee for a foreign adult is 300 baht and 150 baht for a child in the DNP table. Do not confuse it with Ko Hong in Phang Nga Bay: that is a different island.
• Guide How to get to Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain) and what you will see Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain) is in Na Chom Thian, Sattahip district, 23.4 km from Central Pattaya (about 22 minutes by car without traffic, OSRM). A seated Buddha in the Subduing Mara pose is cut into a limestone cliff by laser and the outline is filled with gold: the figure is about 109 m tall and 70 m wide, 130 m including its lotus base. The Department of Tourism directory lists the grounds as open daily 6:00-18:00 (checked 18 October 2026).
• Guide How to visit Koh Lanta, what to see and when to go Koh Lanta (เกาะลันตา) is an island in Krabi Province. From Krabi airport to Sala Dan pier it is 75.8 km and about 1 hour 40 minutes with the car ferry, and from Ao Nang 102 km and about 2 hours 10 minutes (OSRM, without the ferry queue). Beaches run along the west coast, Mu Ko Lanta National Park lies at the south end with a 200 baht fee for foreign adults, and Ko Rok and Ko Ha cost 400 baht. The driest months are December to March, with 24.1 mm of rain in February per TMD. Plan 2-3 days, because a day trip from Ao Nang uses about 4 hours on the road.
• Guide How to visit Ko Rok from Koh Lanta, and when the park season opens Ko Rok (Koh Rok, เกาะรอก) is a pair of islands, Rok Nok and Rok Nai, in Mu Ko Lanta National Park, Krabi Province, 47-49 km in a straight line south of Sala Dan pier on Koh Lanta. The DNP park page (checked 18.10.2026) gives the tourist season as 16 November to 15 May, and the islands are closed from 16 May to 15 November. The fee for foreigners is 400 baht per adult and 200 baht per child in the DNP table. Do not confuse Ko Rok with Racha Island (Ko Racha) off Phuket: they are different places.
• Guide Which night markets are there in Pattaya and when do they open The official Department of Tourism directory confirms two places in Pattaya: Walking Street (daily 18:00-02:00, from South Pattaya Beach to Bali Hai Pier) and the Floating Market (9:00-19:00). The big night market, Thepprasit Night Market, is 5.1 km and about 6 minutes from the centre; Thai Holiday Guide says it runs fully Friday to Sunday, roughly 17:30-23:00. We found no official TAT or city hours for Thepprasit or Jomtien, so check on arrival.
• Guide Where to watch the sunset in Pattaya and what time it is by month Sunset in Pattaya falls between 17:47 (mid-November) and 18:47 (early July) through the year, and about 17:56 on 18 October 2026 (Thaipedia calculation, NOAA method). The best-known sunset spot is the viewpoint on Khao Phra Tamnak (Pratumnak Hill), 3.5 km and about 9 minutes from the centre: the Department of Tourism directory lists it as open daily 7:00-22:00. Other options: Tawaen Beach on Koh Larn and South Pattaya Beach by Bali Hai Pier.
• Guide How to visit Pattaya Floating Market and what you will see Pattaya Floating Market (Thai: Talat Nam Si Phak, the Four Regions Floating Market) is open daily from 9:00 to 19:00, with tickets sold until 18:30 (official website, checked 18 October 2026). It is a tourist complex on water, built in 2008: more than 400 shops and boat vendors, rowing boats and a traditional dance show every day. It is 9.4 km and about 9 minutes by car from Central Pattaya without traffic (OSRM). The official site does not publish the entry price.
• Guide Can you visit Ko Khram from Pattaya, and how do you get there Ko Khram (Koh Kram, เกาะคราม) is an uninhabited island in Sattahip district, about 28 km in a straight line from central Pattaya, and the Royal Thai Navy looks after it. We found no regular tours, pier or visitor fee from DNP or TAT, and reference sources call the island closed to tourists (nothing to the contrary is confirmed as of 18 October 2026). If you want an island with beaches near Pattaya, choose Koh Larn or Koh Samet, and do not confuse Ko Khram with Ko Kham.
• Guide How to visit the Underwater World aquarium in Pattaya: hours, tunnel, tickets Underwater World Pattaya (อันเดอร์ วอเตอร์ เวิลด์ พัทยา) is on Sukhumvit Road in Nong Prue, 7.7 km and about 8 minutes by car from Central Pattaya. Its website says on 18 October 2026 that it is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00, with last admission at 17:30. A foreign adult ticket (height from 131 cm) is 550 baht and a child of 91-130 cm is 320 baht. The main attraction is an acrylic tunnel more than 105 metres long, where fish can be seen through 180 degrees.
• Guide Muay Thai in Pattaya: where to watch fights and where to train In Pattaya you watch Muay Thai (Thai boxing) at Max Muay Thai Stadium on Sukhumvit Road (Pattaya Soi 42), 2.2 km and about 5 minutes by car from Central Pattaya, and you train at camps such as Fairtex in Naklua and Kombat Group in Huai Yai. According to Thai Holiday Guide for October 2026, fights run daily: about 19:00 on weekdays and about 19:45 at weekends, three rounds a bout, around 4-5 bouts. We could not obtain an official stadium schedule, so confirm the date with your ticket seller.
• Guide Ao Nang as a base for day trips: where the boats leave and how to get there Ao Nang (อ่าวนาง) is a resort town in Krabi province where boats leave for Railay, Phra Nang and the islands: Thai Holiday Guide gives 15 minutes by longtail to Railay. It is 27.7 km and 33 minutes from Krabi airport, 22.8 km to Tiger Cave Temple and 70.8 km to the Emerald Pool (OSRM, 18.10.2026). Boat trips run through Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park: 200 baht for a foreign adult, 400 baht on Phi Phi (DNP table, 02.06.2023). From May to October longtails may not run in rough seas.
• Guide How to visit the Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot) and the hot waterfall The Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot, สระมรกต) is in Khlong Thom district, Krabi, inside Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary rather than a national park, so the DNP park fee table has no row for it. Per Matichon (14.11.2025) foreigners pay 400 baht and Thais 40 baht. Thai Holiday Guide (July 2026) lists 08:30-17:00, and swimming is allowed only in the main pool. It is 70.8 km and about 1 h 15 min from Ao Nang and 44.5 km and 50 minutes from Krabi airport (OSRM, 18.10.2026).
• Guide How to climb Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea) and what to wear Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea, วัดถ้ำเสือ) is a Buddhist monastery and meditation centre near Krabi Town. About 1,260 steps lead to a golden Buddha statue at the top (Thai Holiday Guide, October 2026), 278 m above sea level. Entry is free and that guide lists 06:00-18:00 daily; we found no official schedule. It is 9.4 km and 15 minutes from Krabi airport and 22.8 km and 27 minutes from Ao Nang (OSRM). Cover shoulders and knees, and expect macaques on the stairs.
• Guide How to get to Railay and what to see: Phra Nang, beaches, rock climbing Railay (ไร่เลย์) is a peninsula in Krabi with no road access: a longtail from Ao Nang beach takes about 15 minutes (Thai Holiday Guide, June 2026), 2.7 km in a straight line. It has four areas: West Railay for swimming, East Railay with mangroves, Phra Nang beach with its shrine cave, and Ton Sai bay for climbers. The area lies inside Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, with a DNP fee of 200 baht for a foreign adult (table of 02.06.2023). The best months are December to April; from May to October longtails may be suspended in rough seas.
• Guide How to visit Ang Thong Marine National Park from Samui and what you will see Mu Ko Ang Thong (Ang Thong Marine National Park) is a group of 42 islands in the Gulf of Thailand, Surat Thani province, west of Koh Samui. The trip takes a full day, 7-10.5 hours with hotel transfers, based on the Koh Samui Tours and Thai Holiday Guide itineraries on 18 October 2026. The DNP fee for foreigners is THB 300 per adult and THB 150 per child on Ko Wua Talap and Ko Mae Ko, where tours go (THB 200 and 100 elsewhere in the park). The park's DNP page gives its tourist season as 16 December to 30 October, and October to December are the wettest months on Samui.
• Guide Where to go on a day trip from Samui From Samui people take two full-day sea trips, to Ang Thong National Park and to Koh Tao with Nang Yuan, and see the Big Buddha and the Na Muang waterfalls on the island. The DNP fee at Ang Thong is THB 300 per foreign adult (child THB 150) on the islands tours visit, and the DNP page gives the park a season of 16 December to 30 October. There is no DNP fee on Koh Tao, and entry to Nang Yuan costs THB 250 at the resort. Samui's season differs from Phuket's: by TMD, October-December are the wettest months (295, 445 and 263 mm) and February-April the driest, so for October-November 2026 places on land are the safer pick.
• Guide How to get from Samui to Koh Tao and Nang Yuan in a day and what you will see Koh Tao and the Ko Nang Yuan islets lie in the Gulf of Thailand north of Samui: about 63 km to Koh Tao and 67 km to Nang Yuan as the crow flies from Bangrak Pier. On Lomprayah's 2026 timetable the catamaran from Pralarn Pier takes 1 hour 45 minutes to Nang Yuan (8:00-9:45) and 1 hour 30 minutes to Koh Tao (8:00-9:30), with return sailings from Nang Yuan at 8:30 and 15:00. Nang Yuan is private: Koh Nangyuan Resort charges day visitors THB 250 (THB 50 for Thais) and admits them from 10:00 to 15:00. There is no DNP national park fee on Koh Tao or Nang Yuan: neither island is in the DNP fee table.
• Guide How to get to the Big Buddha on Samui and what to see at Wat Phra Yai The Big Buddha on Samui (Wat Phra Yai, พระพุทธสันติทีปนาถ) is a golden statue 12 m high in the Mara-subduing pose on Ko Faan, an islet near Bophut joined to Samui by a causeway. Construction began in 1972. It is 2.8 km and about 6 minutes from Samui airport, 8.2 km and 12 minutes from Chaweng, and 22.6 km and 24 minutes from Nathon Pier by OSRM. The hours of 7:00-18:30 appear in OpenStreetMap and the lovethailand.org directory; we found no official timetable and no entry fee. It is a working temple: shoulders and knees must be covered.
• Guide How to get to the Na Muang waterfalls on Samui and if you can swim The Na Muang waterfalls (น้ำตกหน้าเมือง) lie inland in southern Samui, in Na Mueang subdistrict. The first fall, about 18 m by Thai Holiday Guide, is a 5-minute walk from the car park and is where people swim. The second, about 80 m by the same description, takes 35 minutes of steep trail. It is 9.3 km (12 minutes) from Lamai, 12.8 km (15 minutes) from Nathon Pier and 19.1 km (21 minutes) from Chaweng by OSRM. There is more water after rain, October to January, but the trails are slippery: a tourist died at the second fall in July 2019 (Thai PBS). We found no official fee schedule or timetable.
• Guide How to get to Karon Viewpoint and what you will see Karon Viewpoint (จุดชมวิวสามหาด) stands on a hill beside road 4233 between Kata and Promthep Cape. According to Karon municipality you see three beaches from it, Kata Noi, Kata and Karon, plus Ko Pu island. It is 3.5 km and about 4 minutes from Kata by OSRM. Two more viewpoints are close: Black Rock, 1.67 km away per the municipality, and Windmill, 6.1 km. We found no official hours or entry fee.
• Guide How to visit Khao Phra Thaeo in Phuket and what you will see Khao Phra Thaeo (เขาพระแทว) is a non-hunting area in Thalang district in northern Phuket: 13,925 rai, or 22.28 km², according to DNP. It holds two waterfalls, Ton Sai and Bang Pae, forest trails and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre. The Centre's website says the gate charges THB 200 per adult and THB 100 per child aged 3-14, in cash (checked 18 Oct 2026); we found no official opening hours. It is 22 km and about 26 minutes from Phuket Old Town.
• Guide How to get to Kathu Waterfall in Phuket and when it has water Kathu Waterfall (น้ำตกกะทู้) is small and lies in Kathu district between Patong and Phuket Old Town: 9.7 km from Patong (about 15 minutes) and 11.9 km from Old Town (about 18 minutes) by OSRM. The Phuket provincial website says the water flows only in the rainy season, so locals value it more than tourists do. We found no official opening hours or entry fee, and from December to March the waterfall is weak or dry.
• Guide How to get to Promthep Cape for sunset and what you will see Promthep Cape (Laem Phromthep, แหลมพรหมเทพ) is the southern tip of Phuket in Rawai and the island's main sunset spot: the provincial website calls it the best place for sunset in Phuket. Sunset is about 18:10 in October and up to 18:48 in July (Thaipedia calculation for the cape's coordinates). We found no official hours or entry fee. It is 10.6 km and about 14 minutes from Kata, 22.7 km and about 27 minutes from Patong, 18.2 km and about 24 minutes from Old Town.
• Guide How to visit the Lard Yai Sunday Market in Phuket Old Town The Lard Yai Sunday Market (Phuket Sunday Walking Street) runs on Thalang Road in Phuket Old Town on Sundays only, from 16:00 to 22:00, according to Phuket City Municipality on 18 October 2026. Entry is free and you pay only for food and purchases. It is 15.1 km and about 17 minutes by road from Patong, 15.9 km from Kata and 31.2 km from the airport.
• Guide How to get to Ton Sai Waterfall in Phuket and when it has water Ton Sai Waterfall (น้ำตกโตนไทร) is small and sits inside the Khao Phra Thaeo non-hunting area in Thalang district, northern Phuket. It is 22.2 km and about 26 minutes from Old Town and 16.1 km from the airport. The provincial website says it has plenty of water in the rainy season; in the dry season it is weak. The Gibbon Centre quotes a gate fee of THB 200 per adult and THB 100 per child aged 3-14, not confirmed separately at the Ton Sai gate; there are no official opening hours.
• Guide How to visit Wat Chalong in Phuket and what to see Wat Chalong (Wat Chaiyathararam) in Chalong, southern Phuket, is open daily from 07:00 to 17:00 and free to enter, according to the temple's own website on 18 October 2026. The 60 m Grand Pagoda holds a fragment of the Buddha's bone; cover shoulders, chest and knees and take your shoes off. It is 9.3 km and about 12 minutes by road from Phuket Old Town, 9 km from Kata and 37.6 km from the airport.
• Guide How to get to Wat Phra Thong in Thalang and what to see Wat Phra Thong (also Wat Phra Phut) in Thalang, northern Phuket, enshrines a golden Buddha image half buried in the ground. Entry is free. Two travel guides give temple hours of 08:00-17:30 (no official ones found); the Phuket provincial website says the museum at the temple is open daily 07:00-17:00. It is 12.4 km and about 15 minutes by road from the airport and 20.4 km from Phuket Old Town.
• Guide Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai) near Phi Phi: how to get there and what you do Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai) is a small island with a white beach just north of the Phi Phi group in Krabi province. On a Phi Phi day trip from Phuket it is the last beach stop: in the Tisland Travel and Love Andaman timetables you spend roughly one to one and a half hours there. The island has no seasonal closure and stays on the route when Maya Bay is closed from 1 August to 30 September. The park fee is THB 400 for a foreign adult and THB 200 for a child (DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023).
• Guide How to Ride ATVs in Phuket: Age Limits, Licence, Helmets and Insurance ATV (quad bike) riding in Phuket is usually sold as a guided tour: one hour on dirt roads through rubber plantations in the south of the island with a stop at the Big Buddha, according to operator Oh-Hoo's listing on Thai Holiday Guide on 18 October 2026. A helmet and a briefing are provided, no ATV licence is required, children aged 4-11 ride as passengers only, and alcohol is banned. Insurance covers accidents but not damage to the ATV. In 2018 Phuket's tourist police said no law covers ATV safety, so the operator's rules are the rules.
• Guide Is the Blue Tree lagoon in Phuket open, and what is there now, October 2026 Blue Tree Phuket in Cherngtalay in northern Phuket is no longer a water park: the lagoon closed permanently on 1 August 2024. The complex runs as a retail village with a community park, open daily from 06:00 to 23:00 according to bluetreephuket.co, and tenants keep their own hours. It is 5.7 km from Bang Tao beach and 19.5 km from Patong. For a water park on 18 October 2026, look at Splash Jungle (check its status) and Andamanda.
• Guide How to visit Carnival Magic in Kamala: parade, Kingdom of Lights, tickets Carnival Magic in Kamala is an evening carnival park with the "River Carnival" parade and the Kingdom of Lights illumination garden. The park's website says it opens on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, 17:30-23:30, with the parade at 20:30 for about 45 minutes. An admission-only ticket is 2,100 baht, with the buffet 2,500 baht for an adult (official page, 18 October 2026). A child rate applies at 101-140 cm.
• Guide How to Dive in Phuket: PADI Open Water Course, Best Dive Sites, Season and Medical Limits Diving (scuba) around Phuket centres on Racha Yai and Racha Noi, Shark Point, Anemone Reef and the King Cruiser wreck. The PADI Open Water Diver course is open from age 15 (Junior Open Water from 10 to 14) and includes 5 confined-water dives and 4 open-water dives, to 18 m. Discover Scuba Diving, a trial dive, is open from age 10 to a maximum of 12 m. The Similan Islands are open from 15 October to 15 May, so the season has started as of 18 October 2026.
• Guide How to visit Phuket FantaSea in Kamala: show, hours, kids and rules Phuket FantaSea in Kamala is an evening theme park with a 3,000-seat theatre, a buffet and the show "Fantasy of a Kingdom". The park's website says it opens only on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, 17:30-23:30, and its suggested plan puts the show at 21:00-22:10. A child ticket applies to heights of 101-140 cm, children up to 100 cm enter free. Photography is banned in the theatre and shirtless or swimwear visitors are turned away (park website, 18 October 2026).
• Guide How to Go Fishing in Phuket: Sea Trips from Chalong Pier, Season, What You Catch and the Rules Sea fishing in Phuket is run as a boat trip from Chalong Pier: Tisland's programme leaves at 7:15 for trolling and bottom fishing, a crab-trap check and a stop at Racha Yai with lunch cooked from the catch, back around 15:00, 11 hours in all including transfers. Rods and insurance are included. Fishing in a national park without permission is an offence under the national parks law, with up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to 500,000 baht. We found no primary source on a fishing licence for tourists.
• Guide How to see the Ko Hong lagoon in Phang Nga Bay, and why it is not the Krabi Hong Islands Ko Hong is an island with a lagoon inside a rock in Ao Phang Nga National Park, about 5.5 km south of Khao Phing Kan by OpenStreetMap coordinates. You enter the lagoon by canoe with a paddler, and Thai Holiday Guide says the passage is usable roughly two hours either side of low tide. The park fee is THB 300 per foreign adult and THB 150 per child (DNP, revision of 02.06.2023). This is not the Hong Islands off Ao Nang in Krabi: different islands, different parks, and adverts sometimes blur them.
• Guide How to visit the Hong Islands in Krabi from Phuket, and how they differ from Hong in Phang Nga Bay The Hong Islands (Mu Ko Hong) in Krabi are an archipelago with Ko Hong, Ko Lao Lading and Ko Pak Bia inside Than Bok Khorani National Park. From Phuket you go by speedboat or catamaran: on the Phuket Tour program the speedboat sets off at 10:00 from the pier, and an early catamaran runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 06:30, with about an hour at sea per the operator's overview. The park fee is THB 300 for a foreign adult and THB 150 for a child under the DNP table. Do not confuse them with Ko Hong in Phang Nga Bay, which is a different island.
• Guide How to get to Koh Lon near Phuket and how to spend the day Koh Lon (Koh Lone, เกาะโหลน) is an island off southeast Phuket in Rawai subdistrict, about 4 km in a straight line from Chalong Pier and 15-20 minutes by boat. It is not a resort but a fishing village with beaches and no pier, where more than 80 % of residents are Muslim (Thai Wikipedia). There is no national park fee, and we found no official ferry timetable: people go by chartered longtail or arrange it with a homestay. Half a day is usually enough, and November-April is the best time.
• Guide How to visit Koh Mai Thon (Maiton Island) from Phuket and if you can land Koh Mai Thon (Maiton, also called Honeymoon Island) lies about 9 km off the southeast coast of Phuket, 15-30 minutes by boat. The island is private and not a national park, so there is no DNP fee. As of 18 October 2026 we could not confirm that you can land: maitonislandtour.com says the island and its resort are closed until further notice, while Phuket Tour still uses Maiton as a snorkelling stop from the boat. Dolphins are listed as a possibility, not a promise.
• Guide How to visit Ko Panyi and what to see in the stilt village Ko Panyi (Koh Panyee) is a stilt village in Phang Nga Bay, Phang Nga province. The DOPA register for December 2025 lists 1,378 residents and 360 houses in Ko Panyi village. Bay tours stop here: Love Andaman's early program allows an hour with lunch, and the floating football pitch was built by local boys after the 1986 World Cup (TAT). The island lies inside Ao Phang Nga National Park, where foreigners pay THB 300 per adult and THB 150 per child (DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023). On 18 October 2026 the park is open.
• Guide How to get to Ko Yao Noi and Ko Yao Yai from Phuket and what to do on the islands Ko Yao Noi and Ko Yao Yai lie in Phang Nga Bay between Phuket and Krabi, in Phang Nga province. From Bang Rong pier in northern Phuket speedboats take about 30 minutes to Ko Yao Yai and about 40 minutes to Ko Yao Noi, with departures at 9:30, 11:00, 13:30 and 17:00 on the pier's own schedule. Bang Rong is 23.1 km and about 27 minutes by car from Phuket Old Town (OSRM). The islands are quiet: TAT writes of rice fields and a slow pace on Ko Yao Noi and calls Ko Yao Yai even less touristy.
• Guide How to do a Krabi day trip from Phuket, and what you can fit in A Krabi day trip from Phuket comes in two kinds: by road to the Emerald Pool, a hot waterfall and Tiger Cave Temple, or by speedboat to Railay, Phra Nang cave and the islands of Ko Poda and Ko Kai. The Phuket Tour land program starts at 06:00 and heads back to Phuket at 17:00, with roughly three more hours on the road to your hotel (OSRM, October 2026). For Railay and the islands a ferry leaves Rassada Pier at 08:30 (Rassada Pier site, October 2026). Railay and the islands are in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, where foreigners pay THB 200 under the DNP table. January to April is the best time to go.
• Guide How to do the Krabi 4 Islands tour from Phuket and what it includes The Krabi 4 Islands tour from Phuket takes a full day: a ferry from Rassada Pier to Ao Nang, then a speedboat to Ko Poda, Ko Tup and Ko Kai (Chicken Island). On the Phuket Tour program the ferry leaves at 08:30, reaches Ao Nang at 10:30 and heads back at 15:00, arriving in Phuket at 17:00. The set of islands differs by operator, and the fourth stop is Ko Mor or Phra Nang beach and cave. The Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park fee is THB 200 for a foreign adult and THB 100 for a child under the DNP table.
• Guide How to visit Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh and what is allowed there Maya Bay (Thai: Ao Maya) lies on uninhabited Phi Phi Leh in Krabi province. Every year from 1 August to 30 September the bay is closed to landings, and in 2026 it reopened on 1 October. Swimming in the bay has been banned since it reopened on 1 January 2022, boats do not enter the bay and drop visitors at a jetty in Loh Samah Bay. The park fee is THB 400 for a foreign adult and THB 200 for a child (DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023).
• Guide Monkey Beach on Phi Phi Don: what the tour stop is like and how to behave around macaques Monkey Beach (Thai: Ao Yong Kasem) is on Phi Phi Don in Krabi province, inside Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. On Phuket day trips the stop is short: about 10 minutes in the Love Andaman and Tisland Travel timetables. Feeding the macaques is banned, as the park reminded visitors in May 2025. The park fee is THB 400 for a foreign adult and THB 200 for a child (DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023).
• Guide How to See Muay Thai in Phuket: Bangla Stadium in Patong, Training Schools, the Wai Khru Ritual Muay Thai (Thai boxing) in Phuket is watched on a stadium night: Bangla Boxing Stadium in Patong says on its own site that it stages fights every evening, with doors at 8 pm, the first bout at 9 pm and about 8 bouts until midnight. Before each bout the fighters perform wai khru to live sarama music. Stadium and ringside seats cost 1,600 and 2,000 baht, and children come with their parents. There are stadiums in Rawai too, but check their schedule with the venue: sources disagree.
• Guide How to go sea canoeing through the caves and lagoons of Phang Nga Bay Sea canoeing in Phang Nga Bay (Ao Phang Nga National Park) is part of full-day tours from Phuket: a paddler takes you through the caves of Ko Phanak, the Ko Hong lagoon and mangrove channels. The day runs 8-10 hours including transfers, with 7-8 hours on the water on Simba Sea Trips' program. The park charges foreigners THB 300 per adult and THB 150 per child (DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023). On 18 October 2026 the park is open, but cave access depends on the tide, so operators reorder the stops each day.
• Guide How to do Phi Phi by catamaran from Phuket and how it differs from a speedboat A Phi Phi day trip by catamaran takes 8-10 hours, with about 75 minutes to the islands: Phuket Tour leaves at 9:00 and arrives at 10:15, Tisland Travel leaves Boat Lagoon pier at 6:30 and lands at Loh Samah at 7:45. The boat has two decks, Tisland's groups are 40-55 people and pregnant women are not accepted. Park tickets (THB 400 for a foreign adult, THB 200 for a child) are included in the programme with these operators.
• Guide How to charter a private boat to Phi Phi: longtail or speedboat and what to agree You can charter a private boat to Phi Phi from Phuket by speedboat, by longtail from Phi Phi Don, or book a catamaran for a group. Sunrise Divers' speedboat takes about 45 minutes from Chalong and carries up to 15 people. The park rules are the same for every boat: landing at Maya Bay only via the Loh Samah jetty, no swimming in the bay, and a fee of THB 400 for a foreign adult and THB 200 for a child (DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023). Agree in advance who pays the fee and the fuel.
• Guide How to visit Phuket Aquarium on Cape Panwa and what you will see Phuket Aquarium is run by the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) on Cape Panwa in south-east Phuket, 12 km from Phuket Town. Thai Holiday Guide and Phuket Expat Guide give daily hours of 08:30-16:30: a tunnel with rays and small reef sharks, a touch pool and tanks for sea turtles under treatment. The official site did not open on 18 October 2026, so confirm hours and prices at the entrance.
• Guide Which Phuket excursions suit children, and from what age For children under 3, short and dry options suit Phuket: an elephant sanctuary without riding, Phuket Aquarium, Coral Island in the morning. Operators start child fares for 9-12 hour days to Phi Phi, Racha and the Similan Islands from 4 years, the national park child rate runs from 3 to 14 years or up to 140 cm, and Splash Jungle admits riders to its big slides from 1.22 m. Handle seasickness with behaviour and short routes: scopolamine is not for children (CDC). Take an indoor break at midday: the island sits around 32 °C by day with humidity up to 82%.
• Guide How to go rafting in Phang Nga from Phuket and what to check first Rafting in Phang Nga province from Phuket is a day on a mountain river: on Phuket Tour's program pickup is at 6:50, a 5 km run starts around 11:30 and you are back by 16:30. Operators call the river the Song Phraek, but neither the DNP nor TAT describes rafting there, so we could not confirm the season, rapids grade or minimum age: ask your operator. On the way tours usually stop at the cave temple Wat Suwan Kuha, 79.9 km and about 85 minutes from Phuket Old Town by OSRM.
• Guide How to visit Railay from Phuket in a day and what to see there Railay (Rai Leh) is a peninsula in Krabi with no road to it, so you reach Railay and Phra Nang beach from Phuket by ferry or speedboat from Rassada Pier. According to Rassada Pier, the ferry leaves at 08:30, calls at Ao Nang at 10:30 and Railay at 10:45, and the return leaves Railay at 15:15 and reaches Phuket at 17:00, which gives you about 4.5 hours ashore. The Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park fee is THB 200 for a foreign adult and THB 100 for a child under the DNP table. January to April is the best time.
• Guide How to visit Siam Niramit in Phuket: schedule, tickets and what is inside Siam Niramit Phuket (Rassada, on the edge of Phuket Town) is an evening complex with a 100-year Thai village, a photo courtyard, a buffet and a stage show on Thai culture. The theatre's website says it is open daily except Tuesday: gates at 17:30, the show 20:30-21:50. A show-only ticket is 1,800-2,200 baht for an adult, with the buffet 2,200-2,600 baht (official page, 18 October 2026).
• Guide How to visit the Similan Islands from Khao Lak and how it differs from a Phuket tour Boats to the Similan Islands from Khao Lak leave from Thap Lamu (Tab Lamu) pier, 13 minutes by car from Nang Thong beach by OSRM. The boat leaves around 9:00, as on Phuket tours, but Khao Lak hotels are collected around 7:00 and Phuket hotels at 5:30-6:40 (Thailand Divers). The 2026/27 season opened on 15 October, and DNP counted 1,409 visitors on day one. The national park charges foreigners THB 500 per adult and THB 250 per child.
• Guide How to visit Simon Cabaret in Patong: show times, kids and tickets Simon Cabaret Phuket in Patong is a cabaret show with a transgender troupe in a 600-seat theatre that has run since 1991. The official website lists shows daily at 18:00, 19:30 and 21:00, lasting about 70 minutes according to tour operators. Tickets are sold on the theatre's website, payment is due at booking and there are no refunds. It is 8.5 km from Kata and 15.6 km from Phuket Town (OSRM, 18 October 2026).
• Guide Where to snorkel in and around Phuket: islands, bays, season and rules Snorkelling around Phuket comes in three levels: the southern beaches (Ao Sane, Nai Harn, Kata Noi), the near islands 15-60 minutes by boat (Coral, Khai, Maiton, Racha) and the far parks on a full day (Phi Phi, Similan, Surin). The best months are November-April: Simba Sea Trips reports 15-20 m visibility at Racha on calm days. National parks ban sunscreen with four named chemicals (fine up to 100,000 baht) and ask you to stay at least two metres from coral (DNP, 16 October 2025). A park fee applies at Phi Phi (400 baht) and the Similans (500 baht), and none at Phuket's near islands.
• Guide Splash Jungle water park in Phuket: opening hours, zones and height rules Splash Jungle is a water park in Mai Khao in northern Phuket, 10 km from the airport. The park's website says it is open daily from 10:00 to 18:30; the Tube Slide, Body Slide, Boomerango and Super Bowl admit riders from 1.22 m, and children under 12 need an adult. Booking sites reported a closure for enhancement work from 1 June to 30 September 2026, and we could not independently confirm the park was open on 18 October 2026: call +66 76 372 010 before you go.
• Guide How to take a sunset cruise from Phuket and when the sun sets A sunset cruise from Phuket takes 5-7 hours with transfers: Phuket Tour's programmes run 14:30-19:30 or 11:30-18:40, while Exotravel and Texpert board at Chalong Pier around 12:30-13:00. The catamaran heads to Cape Promthep (Laem Promthep) at Phuket's southern tip for dinner and the sunset. By NOAA's formulas the sun sets at 18:10 on 18 October 2026, and through the year sunset moves from 18:04 in mid-November to 18:49 in mid-July. Clear sunsets are likeliest from November to April.
• Guide How to visit the Surin Islands (Mu Ko Surin) and when they are open The Surin Islands (Mu Ko Surin) are a marine national park in the Andaman Sea, roughly 55-60 km off the coast of Phang Nga province (per guidebooks and maps; we have no DNP figure). DNP reported on 18.10.2026 that the season is open from 15 October, and the press gives 15 May 2027 as the end. A day trip from Phuket or Khao Lak takes 10-12 hours, with 1.5-2 hours each way by speedboat (Phuket Tour, Love Andaman). The park fee is THB 500 for a foreign adult and THB 250 for a child, per the DNP fee table.
• Guide How to Go Ziplining in Phuket: Hanuman World, Flying Hanuman, Weight and Age Rules Phuket has two separate zipline parks: Hanuman World in Wichit and Flying Hanuman in Kathu. Both open daily, Hanuman World from 8:00 to 18:00 and Flying Hanuman from 8:00 to 17:00. Both take guests up to 120 kg and from age 4, and neither admits pregnant guests. Time on the course runs from 20 minutes to 3 hours depending on the package, so allow half a day with transfers. Data from the parks' official websites as of 18 October 2026.
• Guide How Tiger Kingdom in Phuket works: contact rules, age limits and ethics Tiger Kingdom Phuket (Kathu) is listed by Trip.com on 18 October 2026 as open daily 9:00-17:30. Visitors enter enclosures with tigers of different sizes and are photographed, a session of about 10 minutes. World Animal Protection and For Tigers advise against supporting such contact. In February 2026, 72 tigers died of canine distemper at two of the chain's Chiang Mai sites; the Phuket branch did not appear in the reports we found.
• Guide Nong Nooch Tropical Garden: what is inside, what it costs and how to get there Nong Nooch Tropical Garden is at kilometre 163 of Sukhumvit Road, 23.1 km south of Central Pattaya and about 27 minutes by car without traffic (OSRM). It is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00. Online foreigner tickets on the official site (checked 18 October 2026) start at 700 baht for an adult and 600 for a child with the garden and sightseeing bus, and packages with the elephant show, Thai cultural show and lunch run 800-1,500 baht. Children under 90 cm are free.
• Guide Where to go on a day trip from Pattaya, and how long it takes Day trips from Pattaya fall into three groups: islands (Koh Larn, 8.5 km in a straight line from Bali Hai Pier; Koh Samet via Ban Phe Pier, 81 km away; Koh Si Chang via Si Racha), sights near the city (Nong Nooch Tropical Garden 23 km south, the Sanctuary of Truth) and longer trips by road (Bangkok 143 km, Ayutthaya 204 km). Park fees apply only in some places: on Koh Samet the DNP charges foreigners 200 baht, while Koh Larn belongs to Pattaya City and is not on the DNP fee list. For sea trips, November to March is best, with 12-57 mm of rain a month per TMD normals.
• Guide How to visit Koh Larn (Coral Island) from Pattaya and what to see Koh Larn (Coral Island, เกาะล้าน) lies 8.4 km in a straight line from Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya and belongs to Pattaya City, so there is no national park fee (checked against the DNP fee table). The public ferry takes about 45 minutes and, costs 40 baht since 10 April 2026 (Pattaya Mail, 3 April 2026); a shared speedboat takes 15-20 minutes. A half-day trip with hotel transfers takes about 6 hours. The city publishes no official ferry timetable, so ask for the last return time at the pier.
• Guide How to visit Koh Samet from Pattaya, and is one day enough Koh Samet is an island in Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park in Rayong province. By the DNP fee table (revision of 2 June 2023) a foreign adult pays 200 baht and a child 100, and the small islands of Ko Thalu, Ko Kudi, Ko Kham and Ko Kruai are 300 and 150 baht. From Central Pattaya it is 80.8 km, about an hour by car, to Ban Phe pier, then roughly 30 minutes by boat. A day tour takes about 11 hours, so families with small children are better off staying overnight.
• Guide How to visit the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya and what to see The Sanctuary of Truth (Prasat Sattha Tham) is a huge carved wooden building on the Naklua headland in north Pattaya, under construction since 1981. According to the museum's website on 18 October 2026 it is open daily: day tour 8:20-18:00 (500 baht, child 110-140 cm 250 baht), evening tour 18:20-20:30 (700 and 350 baht), children under 110 cm free. The museum suggests allowing 2-4 hours, and it is 5.8 km and about 12 minutes by car from central Pattaya.
• Guide How to get to the Big Buddha in Phuket and what to wear Big Buddha Phuket (Phra Phuttha Ming Mongkhon Ek Nakkhiri) is a 45 m concrete statue faced with white Burmese marble on top of Nakkerd Hill, between Chalong and Kata. Karon Municipality lists it as open daily from 06:00 to 19:00 and does not mention an entry price. It is 12.5 km and about 20 minutes by road from Kata and 15 km from Phuket Old Town. It is an active place of worship, so cover shoulders and knees.
• Guide What to see in Phuket Old Town Phuket Old Town is a quarter of Sino-Portuguese shophouses in Phuket City, built when Chinese and European settlers came to work the tin mines. Phuket City Municipality says you can walk it free at any time of day, while the Lard Yai Sunday Walking Street on Thalang Road runs only on Sundays from 16:00 to 22:00. It is 15 km and about 20 minutes by road from Patong and 31 km from the airport.
• Guide How to get to Coral Island (Koh Hey) from Phuket for half a day Coral Island (Koh Hey, Ko He) lies 6 km off Rawai Beach, about 15 minutes by boat, making it one of the shortest sea trips from Phuket. A tour takes half a day, 5-7 hours including transfers: for example 7:30-14:00 or 10:00-17:00 in Phuket Tour's programmes. On the island you get a beach, swimming, snorkelling near the shore and paid water sports. It is not a national park: no DNP fee and no seasonal closures, and it is open as of October 2026, but it gets very busy.
• Guide Where to see elephants in Phuket without riding or shows, and how to tell an ethical sanctuary In October 2026 Phuket has several sanctuaries without riding: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary in Pa Khlok (observation only, feeding dropped on 1 April 2026), Phuket Elephant Care (three sites; at Naithon and Loch Palm guests feed and bathe elephants, at Sakhu they only watch) and Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Kathu (feeding and a shower). Nobody regulates the word 'ethical', and World Animal Protection treats venues where you look but do not touch as the benchmark. Choose by the program, not the name.
• Guide Where to go on a day trip from Phuket From Phuket people head to the islands (Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay, the Similans, Surin, Krabi), to nature on the mainland (Khao Sok, Khao Lak), to temples and the old town, and to evening shows and parks. Marine national parks charge foreign adults THB 200-500 in the DNP table, and the Similans are open 15 October to 15 May. The sea is best from December to April; in the rainy season pick nearby islands, land trips and indoor places (as of October 2026).
• Guide How to get to James Bond Island from Phuket and what you will see James Bond Island (Ko Tapu) is a limestone pinnacle in Phang Nga Bay, and the trip from Phuket takes a full day: 8-10 hours including transfers, according to Phuket Tour, Love Andaman and Simba Sea Trips. Besides Ko Tapu, the tour takes you by canoe through caves and lagoons, past Panak Island and to the stilt village of Ko Panyi for lunch. Ao Phang Nga National Park charges foreigners THB 300 per adult and THB 150 per child. As of October 2026 Ko Tapu is open, and because the bay is sheltered, tours run almost all year.
• Guide How to visit the Khai Islands from Phuket in half a day A Khai Islands trip takes half a day: 08:30-14:00 in the morning or 12:00-17:00 in the afternoon on the Phuket Tour program, 4-5 hours in total including transfers on the Thai Holiday Guide program (October 2026). The speedboat crossing from a pier on Phuket's east coast is about 20 minutes, and you swim at three islands: Khai Nok, Khai Nui and Khai Nai. There is no national park fee, as the islands are not in the DNP table. It is a good first boat trip with kids, but not one for reefs or empty beaches.
• Guide How to visit Khao Sok from Phuket, and is a night on Cheow Lan Lake worth it? A day tour from Phuket to Cheow Lan Lake in Khao Sok National Park takes about 15 hours: hotel pickup at 05:00-06:30, roughly three hours on the road each way, 3-4 hours on the water and back by 19:30-20:30 (Tisland and Phuket Tour programs, October 2026). On an overnight trip you sleep in a floating bungalow, see the lake at dusk and dawn and are back in Phuket by early afternoon on day two, which is why we recommend two days. The park fee is THB 200 per foreign adult under the DNP table, and the best time is late December to April.
• Guide How to do a Khao Lak day trip from Phuket, and what to see there Khao Lak is a stretch of coast in Phang Nga province about an hour and a half from Phuket: 104 km from Patong to Nang Thong Beach by OSRM routing. The Khao Lak group tours run by Phuket Tour and Tisland take about 11 hours, from 06:00-06:30 to 16:00-17:00, and cover nature along the way: a waterfall, bamboo rafting, a cave temple and an elephant camp with riding (programs as of October 2026). If you care more about the coast itself and the 2004 tsunami memorials, hire a car with a driver and follow the route below. December to March is the best time.
• Guide How to get to Phi Phi from Phuket and what you will see A Phi Phi day trip from Phuket takes the whole day: hotel pickup around 7:00 and back at the pier by 16:15-17:00, according to Phuket Tour and Love Andaman itineraries. The boat stops at Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave and Monkey Beach, then lunch on Phi Phi Don and a beach stop on Bamboo Island. The national park charges foreigners THB 400 per adult and THB 200 per child. Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September; as of October 2026 it is open, but swimming in the bay is banned.
• Guide How to get to Racha (Raya) Island from Phuket and what to do there Racha Yai (also called Raya) is an island about 24 km from Chalong Pier (in a straight line, by OpenStreetMap coordinates), 45-60 minutes away by speedboat, and the tour takes 8-9 hours including transfers, according to Phuket Tour and Simba Sea Trips. It is usually combined with Coral Island: Coral and snorkelling in the morning, Racha's beach after lunch. The main beach in the west bay is shallow and good for swimming, and the snorkelling is in Ao Siam and Ao Khon Khae bays, with 15-20 m visibility on calm water per Simba Sea Trips. It is not a national park: no DNP fee and no closures, the island is open as of October 2026, and only the weather gets in the way.
• Guide How to get to the Similan Islands from Phuket and when they are open The Similan Islands are open to visitors from 15 October to 15 May: the 2026/27 season began on 15 October, and DNP counted 1,409 visitors on day one. A trip from Phuket takes 10-12 hours: hotel pickup around 6:00, over an hour's drive to Thap Lamu pier in Phang Nga, then 1-1.5 hours by speedboat (Phuket Tour, Love Andaman). The boat visits 3-4 islands: Ko Similan with Sail Rock, Ko Bangu, Ko Miang and Ko Payu. The national park charges foreigners THB 500 per adult and THB 250 per child.

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